North Melbourne expect Todd Goldstein to continue shouldering a heavy ruck load despite struggling throughout much of last season.
The 28-year-old had been considered the AFL's best ruckman after a dominant 2015 in which he earned All-Australian selection for the first time and won the Kangaroos' best-and-fairest award.
But he was hobbled by a knee injury in the second half of 2016 and was unable to provide his usual influence around the ground.
Goldstein has also had a disrupted start to this year's campaign after injuring his ankle during training last month.
But ahead of his likely return in Sunday's pre-season clash with Hawthorn, North Melbourne assistant coach Josh Drummond says there's no plan to scale back the 201cm veteran's responsibilities.
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"He's always thrived on that big workload," Drummond said.
"That's a discussion we'll have. Depending on how our second ruckman's going ... all those different things get thrown into the mix and that'll dictate the load on Goldy and how that unfolds throughout the year."
Drummond, who will coach the Kangaroos in place of Brad Scott during Sunday's game, said Majak Daw, Ben Brown and rugby league convert Braydon Preuss are all likely to provide ruck backup throughout the year.
The athletic Daw provided a handy third-man up option last year but will be unable to do so this season after the AFL controversially outlawed the practice.
"I think it helps 'Goldy' because he's been one of the dominant ruckmen in the comp the last few years," Drummond said of the new rule.
"It probably saves having someone jumping against him and trying to slow him down.
"We see at times they get a bit battered and bruised, the ruckmen, when someone else is jumping into them all day, so I think it only helps him."
